Collapsible boat.



E. AMES.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION men MAY 6. 1916.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

2 $HEETS-$HEET 1- um/M01.

ERNEsT HMES E. AMES.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION mm MAY 6. 1916.

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ERNEST AMES, OF PERU, INDIANA, ASSTGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT E. I-IITE, OF PERU, INDIANA.

GOLLAPSIBLE BQAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1916. Serial No. 95,916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST Aims, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peru, in the county of Miami and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boats, of which the following is a specification, reference bev ing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to boats, and particularly to the class of collapsible boats.

Collapsible boats as ordinarily constructed are usually complicated in structure and are difficult to set up and difficult to knock down, and the general object of the invention is the provision of a collapsible boat which is of a very simple construction but in which the several parts form when interlocked with each other a very rigid supporting frame for a canvas covering.

A. further ob ect of the invention is the provision of a collapsible boat in which the v framework of the boat may be inserted in the canvas covering and the canvas covering readily stretched upon the boat by the very simple manipulation of the frame.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a very simple means whereby the parts of the frame may be interlocked with each other and whereby the braces or posts supporting the oarlocks may be readily interlocked with the frame or detached therefrom.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a boat constructed in accordance with my invention, the floor of the boat be1ng broken away so as to show the construction of the frame; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the sides of the boat looking from the outside; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the boat on-the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the canvas covering; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the seats or braces and a portion of the corresponding side frame to show the manner in which the two engage with each other; Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the upper ends of the sections C and D are interlocked with each other and also showing one of the oarlock posts; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the lower ends of the sections C and D are interlocked with each other; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the side frames showing the manner of locking the boat braces to the side frames; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the construction shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the several sections of the boat set up; Fig. 11 is a view showing the manner in which the sections A. and B are shifted into divergent relation; Fig. 12 is a like view to Figs. 10 and 11 but showing the sections A and B folded over upon the sections G and D; Fig. 13 shows the manner in which the several sections are folded upon each other into compact form; Fig. 1a is a perspective view of one end of one of the frames D and also of the oarlock post detached.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seenthat my collapsible boat is formed of eight side frames, four frames on each side of the boat, the frames for the bow of the boat being designated A, those for the stern of the boat being designated B, and there being the intermediate frames C and D midway between the ends of the frames. These frames are all made preferably of light but strong wood, and of course the several members of the frames are rigidly held in engagement with each other.

The frames A are hinged to the frames C by hinges 16, and the frames B are hinged to the frames D by hinges 16. In order to detachably connect each frame C with the corresponding frame D on each side of the boat, the end of the frame C, as illustrated in Fig. 7, is formed with a recess 17 at its lower corner, the lower corner of this frame being protected by an angular iron 18 which is slotted as at 19 to correspond with this recess 17. Through the corner of the frame passes the pin 20 which intersects the recess 17 The adjacent lower corner of the frame sections A, three of these braces for each of I transversely extending braces 10 or the lower'member 12 from 1ts engagement with D is formed with a hook 21 which is adapted to be inserted in the recess 0 and engaged with the pin or bolt 20. It is obvious that this engagement can be effected by disposlng the f other, entering the hook 21 into the recess 17 and then turning the-frames into aline- 'ment whereupon the hook will engage with the pin and lock the lower ends of the frames C and D to each other in the position shown in-Figs. 2 and 3. For the purpose of connecting the upper end of the frame C to the frame D,-I provide the frame G with an out-- wardly projecting headed stud 22, as shown in Fig. ;6, and pivotally. mount upon the upper corner of the frame D a latch 23 which is notched at 24 so as to engage over this headed stud, this latch being provided with a fingerjpiece25. It will be understood, of-course, that each pair of frames C and D isconnected to each other as'described.

For the purpose of bracing the frames from; each other, I provide a plurality of designated 26 and there being one of these braces for the the sections C and D, and one brace for the section B. These braces are each provided, as illustrated in Fig. 9, at the ends of the brace, with the iron.2'rwhich extends out beyondthe end j of the brace and is downwardly bent as at 28 to form'a'tongue. Attached to the inner. face of the lowermember of 'the sections A, B, (land D are the metallic straps 29, as

shown in F 9, with which the hook formed by the irons 27 and 28 is engageable, asshown in Fig. 8. To prevent the brace from rising out ofits engagement with the strap 29, I pivotallymouiit upon .the adjacent upright member 14:, or 15,; as the case maybe, the angular latch 30 which, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, when rotated to a vertical position restsuponthe upper face of the angular iron 27 forming the hook of the braceand holds this hook- 1n engagement with the strap 29. When, this latch 30 is turned upward, however, it permitsthereleaseof the brace 26 the strap 29.

Aswill be noted from Fig, 3, certain of these braces which Ihave designated 2ii are disposed adjacent, but

not immediately at the lower end of thebraces 13 and hence the latches for holding thesebraces down must be. mounted a little differently. For this purpose I attach to the members 12 and the members 13 the angular brackets 31 which, support the latches 32 .which arepivoted, thereon, and provide braces 26 with the hooks 28 which engage behind straps 33 which are angular in form, these straps therefore bracing the frames C and. D at the lower corners where this bracing is particularly necessarybecfause of the lower corners being recessed, as at 17." These angular rames C and D at an angle to eachbraces 31 and 33 rigidly hold the members 12 and 13 in right angular relation and at the same time provide for the connection of the braces 26. It will thus be seen that the boat is particularly thoroughly braced at its middle where the most strain would come. I also use the angular braces 31 at the forward corners of the frames A and B so as to hold these frames rigid.

In order to further brace the boat I provide a number of cross braces or thwarts, designated 36, one of these braces being disposed in each end section A or B and one or two of the braces being used for the middle sections C andD. In Fig. 5, I show how the brace or thwart 36, which constitutes a seat for the oarsinen, is connected to the upper bars 12 of the side frames. This upper member 12 of the section C is notched as at 37, and the brace or thwart 36 is provided with the angular iron 38 which extends beyond the end of the brace constituting a hook having the same width as the notch 37 and insertible into this notch. The angular brackets 39 are provided on the member 12 on each side of the notch 37 for the support of the thwart or seat 36. The same construction is used for connecting the thwart 36 forthe sections A and B to the upper bars 10 of these sections except that as illustrated in Fig. 1 the irons 38 are disposed at an angle to the length of the thwart or seat.

For the purpose of connecting oarlock supporting posts to the frames D, I form the angle brace 31 before referred to with a notch 10, as seen in Fig. 14, and the post 41 is notched upon its inner face as at 12, see F igt, let, to embrace the member 12 of the section D and rests at its lower end upon the upper edge of the lower member 12 of section D and. is provided with a headed'stud -13 which is engageable with this notch when the post is forced down. The post is held from any lateral movement by the angular member 14, as illustrated best in F ig, 6, and is likewise held from any detachment by a latch 15 pivoted at 4-6 which isadapted to extend across the cutaway portion 12 and notched to engage with aheaded stud 47 extending'out from the upper end of the post, this latch in turn being held in its engagement with the headed stud by means of an auxiliary latch 18 in the manner most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The upper ends of the post are bored for oarlocks 49 which may be of any suitable construction.

As a fioor for the boat I provide a plurality of strips 50 connected to each other by transverse bands 51 of flexible material such as rubber or canvas, these planks 50 extending longitudinally of the boat.

Thecovering of the boat is of canvas or proofed or painted in any suitable manner and having a boat-shaped form, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This canvas is sewed and shaped into a permanent boat-shaped form and at intervals is provided with the pairs of gromets 51. A cord 52 is passed inward and then outward through each pair of gromets so as to form a series of loops 53, the cord being continuous. These loops 53 are disposed upon the inside of the canvas covering and when the frame of the boat is in position within the canvas covering, these loops 53, as illustrated best in Fig. 3, are drawn over the upper edges of the frame sections and engage with studs 54: projecting from the members 10 and 12. In setting up the boat the sections B and D and A and C are first engaged with each other by means of the transverse braces and then these two halves of the boat are disposed within the canvas covering 55 with the pointed ends of the halves engaged with the pointed ends of the canvas cover and then the inner adjacent ends of the sections are forced downward, thus expanding the frame longitudinally and expanding and tightening the canvas on the frame. The locking latches 23 are then engaged with each other to lock the two halves of the boat to each other, it of course being understood that the oarlock posts are put in place before the frame is inserted'within the canvas cover. After the canvas cover is fully stretched and properly disposed upon the frame, the loops 52 are engaged over the studs 54 and then the cords are pulled tight and eventually tied so as to firmly engage the cover with the frame of the boat. After all is done the boat is ready for use.

A boat constructed in accordance with this invention is very light, strong, and may be very quickly set up or taken down with out the removal of any bolts or nuts and the canvas of the boat is stretched without the necessity of using any tightening cords on the canvas or any expanding levers on the sections of the boat. The mere act of inserting the frame within the boat in the manner heretofore described stretches the canvas tightly upon the frame. Taking the boat apart it is only necessary to release the cords 52, disengage the loops from the studs 54, release the latches 23, lift upward at the middle of the boat upon the sections 0 and D, whereupon the boat will break at its middle and the sections. may be taken out of the canvas and disengaged, after which, as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13, the sections may be folded, upon each other into a compact bundle. The thwarts and braces are also to be placed in this bundle and the assembled sections wrapped in the canvas of the boat to form a readily portable bundle, or the canvas may be wrapped separately from the sections. Of

course while I have illustrated a certain arrangement of braces and thwarts, seats, etc., it is obvious that other arrangements may be made.

Having described the invention, what I claim 1s:

1. A collapsible boat consisting of an outer permanent boat-shaped covering of fabric and a supporting structure comprising oppositely disposed side frames, each side frame being formed of sections, the sections between the middle of the boat and one end being hingedly connected to each other and the sections between the middle of the boat and the other end being hingedly connected to each other, braces operatively engaging the sections of the frames and holding the frames in spaced relation, and means for detachably engaging the frames with each other at the middle of the boat.

2. A collapsible boat consisting of an outer permanently boat-shaped covering of fabric, and a supporting structure comprising oppositely disposed side frames, each side frame being formed in two pairs of sections each pair comprising an end and a middle section hingedly connected to each other, the adjacent ends of the middle sections of the side frames having detachable engagement with each other at their lower ends whereby said sections may be disposed in angular relation within the cover with the ends of the sections disposed at the ends of the cover and then forced into alinement to expand the cover longitudinally, and means for locking the sections in a position of alinement.

3. In a boat, an outer permanent boatshaped covering of fabric, and a supporting structure formed to provide two half sections of the boat, the adjacent ends of said half sections being formed one at its lower end with a recess having a transverse pin and the other with a hook-shaped member with the bill of the hook extending downward whereby the hook-shaped member may be engaged with the pin in said recess when the sections are not in angular position whereby said sections may be inserted within the boat-shaped cover in said angular position and then forced into alinement with each other to thereby engage the hook-shaped member with the pin and expand the cover, and means for holding the sections in alinement with each other.

4:. In a boat, an outer permanent boat shaped covering of fabric, and a supporting structure formed to provide two half sections of the boat, the adjacent ends of said half sections being formed one at its lower end with a recess having a transverse pin and the other with a hook-shaped member with the bill of the hook extending downward whereby the hook-shaped member may be engaged with the pin in said recess when the sections; are not;in angular forengaging the upper'edge of the cover with said structure.

5.; A collapsible boat consisting of an outer-permanently boat-shaped covering of fabric, and a supportingstructure consistingof side frames, each side frame comprisv,ingitwo end sections and two middle sections, the adjacent ends of the middle sec- .tions ;being;,formed one with vertically disposed recesses having transverse pins and the other with hooks having vertically disosedjbills' .en a in in saidrecesses and with the pins, the upper ends of the adjacent portions ofthe v middle sections. being previdedwith latches whereby they may a be detachably engaged with each other to hold the sections of the side frames in longitudinat alinement, transversely extend- ,'ingfbraces detachably engaged with said aries-r t. hi epetsnt may e ine for frar rlres to,v hold them inspaced relation, and meansrfor-engaging the upper edge of the boat-shaped cover-to the upper margins of aidaf m s.

6. Ina collapsible boat, an outerpermanentlyboat-shaped covering of fabric, an innerfoldabletsupporting frame, said frame including side frames having upper and lower longitudinally extending members and oppositely disposed oarlock posts each adapted to rest at its lower end upon the corresponding lower member of the frame and notched to embrace the upper member of the frame, a latch mounted on the oarlock posts and adapted to engage over said embraced member of the frame, and means for engaging the lower end of the post with the lower member of the frame.

7. In a collapsible boat of the character described, an outer permanently boatshaped covering of fabric and an inner supporting structure comprising laterally disposed sides each consisting of end frames and middle frames, each end frame being hinged to a middle frame and the middle frames being detachably engaged with each other, means for detachably holding said end frames of the sides in a convergent relation and holding the middle frames of the sides in parallel relation, removable braces constituting thwarts, "and means for detachably engaging the upper edge of the;

outer covering with the upper margins of said side frames.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST AMES.

lVitnesses:

WALTER C. BAILEY, ROBERT E. HITE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washingtom D. G. 

